1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to surfacing machines and equipment, more particularly to machines and equipment for abrading the surfaces of discrete objects, and specifically to a machine for abrading the cores and unpainted covers of golf balls to prepare them for receiving layers of cover material and/or paint.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of objects are surfaced as part of their manufacturing processes. Such surfacing procedures can include cleaning, sanding, brushing, sandblasting, media tumbling, etc. In some procedures the surfacing is intended to smooth the surfaces of the objects, while in other procedures it is intended to roughen them to provide better adhesion for a coat of paint or a layer material.
Objects with round, cylindrical and spherical configurations can be particularly difficult to surface because of the problems associated with matching a surfacing material to the surface configurations of such objects. Such difficulties have been encountered in the manufacture of golf balls. Generally golf balls are surface-treated at least once during their manufacture. Golf balls are commonly manufactured in either three-part (i.e. core, rubber windings and plastic cover), or two-part (i.e. elastomeric core and plastic cover) configurations. Cores for two-piece golf balls are commonly formed in molds comprising two halves that are alternately clamped together for receiving the molding material and separated for releasing the molded golf ball cores. A band of molding material, which is commonly referred to as "flashing", is typically formed around the molded cores where the two mold halves mate. The molded cores often have a relatively smooth surface, which is caused by the smoothness of the mold cavities.
Preparatory to applying a plastic cover, the molded cores generally must have their flashings removed and be roughened to achieve proper adhesion. For proper adhesion with a plastic cover, the core surfaces may be roughened with an abrasive material (e.g. sandpaper or the like) having a grit in the range of sixty to eighty. The plastic covers are also commonly roughened in preparation for painting, for example with abrasive material having a grit in the range of one hundred and eighty to two hundred and forty.
Among the various processes that have heretofore been employed for surfacing golf ball cores and unpainted golf balls are the following: (1) automated potato peelers; (2) sandblasting; (3) media tumbling; (4) corona discharge; (5) plasma; and (6) sandpaper drums. Some of the problems associated with these procedures include relatively high cost, excessive time consumption, material waste from grinding oversize cores down to size, inaccuracies and incomplete surfacing. Furthermore, some of these previous procedures involved "batch" processing of golf ball component lots and were thus somewhat incompatible with continuous, in-line manufacturing processes.
Heretofore there has not been available a surfacing machine with the advantages and features of the present invention.